Panchayat Secretary attempts suicide allegedly due to harassment by YouTube journalist

MAHABUBABAD: A woman Panchayat Secretary from Tatupalli village, Kuravi mandal in Mahabubabad district, attempted suicide, alleging prolonged harassment by a local YouTube journalist.

Vanguri Nagalakshmi, who has been serving as the panchayat secretary for the past two years, consumed pesticide in response to the harassment.

According to Nagalakshmi, the accused, Dontu Yadagiri, runs a YouTube channel and claims to be an independent reporter. She alleged that Yadagiri has been interfering in her official work and harassing her mentally for the past year. Despite filing multiple complaints with higher officials, including the District Level Panchayat Officer (DLPO), Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO), and the Mandal Panchayat Officer (MPO), no action was taken, which reportedly drove her to take this extreme step.

Onlookers in the village, including ASHA workers, immediately responded by taking her to a local hospital via auto-rickshaw. Upon being informed, DLPO officials intervened and shifted Nagalakshmi to the Mahabubabad district hospital, where she received treatment.

Authorities are now investigating the circumstances leading up to the incident, and police are likely to question Yadagiri regarding the allegations.